130 Years Ago
August 7, 1896
Nate Hart has placed a handsome scree, the work of one of Alliance’s mechanics, just inside the door of the saloon.
125 Years Ago
August 9, 1901
Individual differences caused the division of the Alliance ball players recently into two nines, one now being composed exclusively of me in the employ of the Burlington, while the other is made up of “town” boys entirely.
120 Years Ago
August 10, 1906
The Alliance National Bank has just added its equipment one of those new-fangled adding machines that makes “figurin” always easy.
115 Years Ago
August 11, 1911
George Brown of Edgemont, S.D., was among the out-of-town visitors noticed here the last of the week.
110 Years Ago
August 11, 1916
The big cement reservoir for the Alliance water system has been completed and will be tested out in the next few days. Water Commissioner Hughes has cut in two of the large connections, doing the work at night when the water demand is at a minimum.
105 Years Ago
August 9, 1921
Stockmen in this section are evidencing some concern over the death of 11 head of steers on the Peterson Brothers ranch in the Krause neighborhood east of Alliance. Dr. J. M. Simpson, state veterinarian, spent two days on the ranch looking for poisonous weeds as a probable cause of their death when all other causes were investigated.
100 Years Ago
August 10, 1926
The airplane to be awarded to some youngster by the Imperial theatre will be given away at the Saturday matinee in connection with the premier of Ken Maynard in “Senior Daredevil.” This will be a show should quicken the pulse of childhood. Some kid is going to get the free airplane and every kid is going to have a real afternoon’s fun.
95 Years Ago
August 11, 1931
Here are some of the requirements of the new traffic law, now in effect. Must not have persons or packages in car that obscure clear vision. Must not embrace another while driving. Must not have more than three persons over 12 years old in front seat. Must not permit anyone to ride on running board. Must not drive past street cars or busses while they are loading or unloading.
90 Years Ago
August 7, 1936
Future “Alliance in Pictures” booklets will probably contain a photo of our modern jail in the Municipal building. It’s to be the sort of place a man can be proud to live in – if he insists on living in jail. The plans have been drawn by the architect and a bid of $4,900 has been received. This outlay is considered conservative for the kind of break-proof equipment specified.
85 Years Ago
August 5, 1941
Out for a bit of exercise just before 1 p.m., three platoons of soldiers marched north on Niobrara and back to the railroad on box Butte Avenue. There were about 500, traveling west in special train consisting of 12 passenger cars and 18 fret cars. There was considerable equipment, suggesting road making, or dirt moving.
80 Years Ago
August 9, 1946
Colonel W. E. McConnaughey of the National Guard was in Alliance today making a survey of the possibilities of setting up a company of the 134th Infantry in this city within the next few months.
75 Years Ago
August 8, 1951
Box Butte County has a population of 12,279 or 11.5 individuals per square mile, according to 1950 census figures released by the Department of Commerce. The county, 1,066 square miles in size, ranks second to Scotts Bluff County in Nebraska Panhandle population and in persons per square miles.
70 Years Ago
August 8, 1956
Construction has begun on the new runway lighting system at Municipal Airport, City manager R. W. Laing announced today. The Brookley Electric Co. of Waterloo, Neb., is installing conduit and reports most of the required material has arrived.
65 Years Ago
August 8, 1961
The Alliance Knight Museum will be located permanently at the northwest corner of the Third and Flack Avenue intersection if the City Council Thursday night accepts the recommendation of its Museum board.
60 Years Ago
August 10, 1966
Two new Alliance businesses are holding an open house Thursday, Friday and Saturday, at their new downtown location, 204 West Third Street. They are Green’s Service Masters of the Panhandle and Green’s Floor Covering and Tyndall Plumbing.
55 Years Ago
August 13, 1971
The evaluation program at the Prairie States Ranch south of here brought to a close the Nebraska Commercial Beef Herd Evaluation program. This program was started on November 23 with 174 steer weaning calves. “There are some good cattle in each of the breeds represented,” Kimbrell told the group, “but some improvement can be made.”
50 Years Ago
August 10, 1976
The Box Butte General Hospital board met Monday evening, discussing numerous items, and let a bid for hard surfacing all streets and parking lot areas at the new hospital. This went to Peltz Construction for a total of $55,600.
45 Years Ago
August 12, 1981
Alliance’s Planning Commission passed a motion Tuesday night to amend the city mobile home zoning ordinance. In a 6-3 vote the board approved amendments to R-4 and R-5 zoning requirements that state all mobile homes on individually owned lots within mobile home parks shall comply with all the regulations and shall be served by independent connections to municipal water and sewer mains.
40 Years Ago
August 11, 1986
The annual 4-H and FFA market Livestock Sale Saturday at the Box Butte County Fair brought $2.32.5 per pound for the Grand Champion market Beef shown by Justin Tracy as McDonald’s of Alliance won a bidding war with Dinklage Feed Yard of Alliance.
35 Years Ago
August 8, 1991
According to Nebraska Statute, any family may establish its own home school as long as the State Department of Education is notified and certain guidelines are followed. So far in Alliance at least four home schools have been formed; parents of some of these students have asked that their children be allowed to participate in extracurricular activities at the public schools.
30 Years Ago
August 6, 1996
About 50 county residents turned out Monday night to explain to the Alliance City Council and Box Butte County Commissioners how sites for a proposed overpass would affect them. Many of those present were local farmers or business owners whose property or access to it could be adversely affected by a grade separation.
25 Years Ago
August 10, 2001
Most farm kids have to work, but the farm is also where they live and play, Alliance Volunteer Fire Department Chief David McCarty pointed out. As such, farm kids tend to make less distinction between a work area and a play area than children who live in town. And, this can be dangerous and even fatal.
20 Years Ago
August 8, 2006
Saturday at 5 a.m., a crowd gathered at Carhenge to take a look at two custom motorcycles that are in competition for the Discovery Channel’s “Biker Build-off.” A crew was on location to film the bikes at the Alliance landmark. The basic premise of the show is that bikers build custom motorcycles and compete for which is the most popular.
15 Years Ago
August 9, 2011
Those who have been curious about what the interior of the new Alliance High School Performing Arts Center looks like shall get their opportunity to see if firsthand tonight at a community meeting, beginning at 7 p.m. at the high school Multipurpose Room.
10 Years Ago
August 9, 2016
The Box Butte County Sheriff’s Department issued a warning yesterday with regard to a scam that is making its way through Alliance. An asphalting company came to town and is offering paving services for a much lower price than other similar companies. This company does follow through with the paving project, but uses inferior products, improper equipment and an inadequate amount of asphalt.
5 Years Ago
August 11, 2021
A fuel leak is believed to be the start of a vehicle fire that totaled a truck last Tuesday afternoon. Alliance Volunteer Fire Department Chief Troy Shoemaker said crews were called to the 400 block of Third Street on Aug. 3 in response to a fully-involved vehicle fire. Seven firefighters responded to the report.
*Compiled from The Alliance Times-Herald Archives by Christine Melcher